Match box or case.



B. VOM EIGEN.

MATCH BOX 0H CASE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. |911.

Patented. Oct. 29, 1918.

EENNo vom` EIGEN, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AssrGNoRTo AUGUST GoERTz & co.,A

f v CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

MATCH Box 0R oAsE.

specication of Letters Patent.

ratenteagoet. se, isis.

Application led. February 27, 1917. l Serial No. 151,161.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it lmown that I, BENNO voM EIGEN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Newark, in the county of EsseXandStateof New Jersey,'haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Match Boxes `or `Cases;I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others ,skilled intheart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadtothe accompanying drawings, and to characters'of reference markedthereon, which form a part'of this specication.

This invention has reference, generally, to improvements in match-boxes,such as are carried inthe pocket, or cases; and, the present .inventionrelates, moreparticularly, to a novel construction of pocket match-box,and a novel means employed in connection therewith for readily placingin position uponfthe inner surface of the lid or cover of thematch-boX,"and for detachably retaining in suchl position, a scratch-pador.

`piece usually. of the' character such as is used with safety or.Swedish matches. "l

' The present invention has for its principal objectstoprovide a noveland simply-constructed. match-box` orcase for the reception of safety orSwedish matches, and also to Aprovide in connection with the hingedmembers of the match-honor case, a novel and simply constructed, as`well as an easily manipulated, scratchpad or piece -retaining means,forproperly retaining the scratchpad' or piece in its operative positionupon the inner face of one of the saidhinged members, and alsopermitting the quick and easy removal of the scratch-pad or piece whenthe same hasbeen rendered useless, ,to replace the same with a newscratch-pad or piece."

. "The invention has for its further object vto providefa match-box orsafe for the neception of safety or Swedish matches in which the scratch-pad or piece retaining means isY of such construction, that thesidemembers of the usual `cardboard or thin wooden Vboxes in which theymatches are dispensed tothe publieeanbe broken away and readily placedand secured in position within the match-box or case, for the purpose ofsntilis the matches tlrsoilgaed t be easily replaced by similar'scratch-pieces, when the fermer mishaps@ er reces have been rendereduseless by the constant scratching of the matches thereon.

Other objects of the present invention not 'at this time moreparticularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the followingdetailed description of the presentinvention. Y

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the saidinvention consists, primarily, in the novel match-box or casehereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in thenovel means for detachably securing within the match-box or case ascratch-pad or piece for the ignition thereon of safety or Swedishmatches, as well as in the general arrangements and combinations of theseveral devices and parts,

and the details of construction of the same, all of which will be morefully embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to andwhich form an essential part ofthe said specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figurel is a plan view of a match-box or 'safe embodying theprinciples of the present invention, the hinged members of the match-boxbeing represented in their opened relation, so as to show moreparticularly the means for detachably securing the scratchpad or pieceupon the inner surface of the lid or cover of the match-box.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the match-box or case, saidsection being taken on line 2-2 in said Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section of the covermember, said section being taken4on line 3-3 in said Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrovtT w.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section, taken on line l--LL in said Fig. l;and Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on line 5--5 in said Fig. 1,bothof said views being made on an enlarged scale. A

Similar vcharacters of reference are employed in the said ,abovedescribed views, to

\ indicate corresponding parts.

t Referring now to the saidjdrawings, the reference-character lindicates a match-box or other suitable case, comprising apair of Cil soas to provide a pair of shell-like members, one of which, as2, providesthe main body, land the other member 3 providing the cover or lid of thebox or case.

At their proper marginal flange-like portions of the said body andcover, respectively, the portion 4 is formed with pintlereceiving ears6, and the portion 5 is also formed with corresponding pintle-receivingears 7, all being arranged in a manner to receive a pintle 8, andwhereby the body 2 and lid or cover 3 are hinged together, so as to beclosed one upon the other. At its front edge, the liange-lilre portionoi' the body 2 is provided with a suitably disposed and suitablyconstructed spring-catch, as 9, -formed with a linger piece 10 and acatch-piece or latch-nosing, as 11, Vadapted to be sprung into holdingand locking engagement'with an inwardly extending ledge or projection 12with which the marginal portion 5Yat the. i'ront of the lid or cover isprovided, as will be clearly. evident from an inspection of Figs. 1 and2 of the drawings.

Suitably disposed over the rear portion of the said body 2 is a plate13, formed with downwardly extending side-flanges 14 and a downwardlyextending rear flange 15, said flange 15 being formed with a tongue-likemember or extension, as 16, which is bent rearwardly and then 'forwardlyand upwardly, in the manner shown more particularly in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, so as to provide a loop or eye, as 17, which is suitablymounted upon a portion of the previously mentioned pivot-pin or pintle8. `At their forward edge-portions 18, the said sideflanges 14 are cutaway, as at 19, thereby providing edge-portions 2O with which suitablyformed retaining tongues or lugs, as 21, and which extendinwardly fromthe opposite side-flanges 4 oi' the body 2 are adapted to be broughtinto holding engagement, so as 1 matches, consists of a clamping orretaining plate 24, which is suitably bent or curved along one of itsmarginal edge-portions, as at 25, for the proper slipping of theendportion of the piece or pieces 23 beneath said plate 24 when thelatter hasbeen vsecured in position. At its marginal edge, opposite thecurved edge 25, the said plate 24 is provided witha series `ofpmtle-receivmg ears or lugs 26, and the intervening spaces 27, the saidl ears or lugs 26 having permanently mounted .therein a pair ofpivot-pins or pintles 28 and 29, extending from the opposite end-portions of the plate 24, said pins extending across the said interveningspaces 27, but being of such lengths that the --centrally disposedintervening space 27 is left clear, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 oi thedrawings, to receive the catch-piece or latching-nosing 11, when the lidor cover 3 is closed down upon the body 2, as will be evident. Extendingdownwardly from the said previously-menti oned ledge or projection 12 ofthe marginal flange-like portion 5 of the lid or cover 3 are suitablyformed tongue-like members, as 30, providing suitable loops or eyes 31,as will be seen from an inspection of Figsfl, 3 and 4 of the drawings,said loops orl eyes 31 being properly disposed and arrangedin thecorresponding spaces 27, and serving as ameans for pivotally mountingthe said clamping or retaining plate 24 upon the respective pins orpintles 28 and 29, as shown. c

To cause the curved edge-portion 25 of the said clamping or retainingplate 24 at all times to positively bear upon theinserted end of thepiece or pieces 23, a coiled spring, as 32, is mountedupon a portionV ofone of said pins, as 28, extending across the corresponding space 27,said spring having one of its end-portions 33 bearing upon the plate 24,and having its other end-portion 34 extending upwardly intobearingcontact with a slotted portion, as 35, with which the said ledge orprojection 12 may be provided, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 of thedrawings. The result of this arrangement Yof the spring 32 and itsend-members is that the said clamping or retaining plateris always heldin its operative position, and permits of vthe scratch-pad or piece 23to be easily slipped into its operative position, or to be removed frombeneath said plate 24, as the `case may be, without any necessity ofhaving to lift or raise said plate manually.

Any -further detailed description `as to the construction yof the deviceand as-to its operation is deemed unnecessary, except to saythat thematch-box or case thus madeis neat Yand compact in its construction,andvery useful. i

. Of course, I amaware that changes may be made in the generalarrangements and combinations of .the several devices and part-s, aswell asa-in the details ofthe construction of' the said parts, Withoutdeparting from the scope ofthe invention as set forth in the foregoingspecification and as4 defined in the clauses of the claim which' areappended thereto. Hence, I do not limit my present invention to theexact arrange- 'ments and combinations of the several devices and partsas describedin the said specication, nor do I confine myself .to theexact details of the construction of the said parts, as illustrated inthe accompanyingJ drawings.

l. In a match-box o-r case comprising a body-member and a hingedcover-member, a clamp-plate pivotally connected within said ycover-member at one end thereof so as to extend laterally across saidend, said clampplate occupying but a small portion of the longitudinalextent of said cover-member, spring-means for depressing the free end ofsaid clamp-plate toward the inner surface of said cover-member, and asthus disposed adapting the same to engage a small portion of the end ofa match-striker piece to grip and thus retain the same against theinside of said cover-member with the major portion of its surfaceunobstructed and exposed for use, and the free marginal edge 0f saidclamp-plate being turned outwardly to afford means to engage saidclamp-plate to raise the same for the insertion or removal of amatch-striker piece.

2. A match-box or ease comprising a bodymember and a cover-member hingedthereto, said body-member being adapted to reeeive matches, marginalange-like portions connected with said members, a spring-catch connectedwith said body-member, an inwardly extending ledge connected with theouter end of said cover-member with which said spring-catch can beforced into retaining engagement, a clamping plateu within saidcover-member, said plate being provided with pintle-receiving ears,pintles mounted in said ears, tongue-like members connected with saidledge, said tongue-like members extending around and beneath saidpintles for pivotally mounting said clamping plate within saidcover-member, and said clamping-plate having a centrally located cut-outportion at its hinged edge through which said spring-catch passes toholding engagement with said ledge.

3. A match-box or case comprising a bodymember and a cover-member,marginal flange-like portions connected with said members,pintle-receiving ears also oonnected with said members, a pintle mountedin said ears for pivotally connecting said members, a plate within saidbody-member, said plate having downwardly extending side- 'flanges and adownwardly extending rearflange, a tongue-like extension extendingrearwardly from said rear-flange and then forwardly and upwardly aroundthe said pintle, and fastening means connected with said body member andsecured to the sideflanges of said plate, thus providing an inolosedcompartment at one end of said bodymember.

4. A match-box or case comprising a bodymember and a cover-member,marginal flange-like portions connected with said mem' bers,pintle-receiving ears also connected with said members, apintle mountedin said ears for pivotally connectingsaid members, a plate within saidbody-member, said plate having downwardly extending side-fianges and adownwardly extending rear-flange, a tonguelike extension extendingrearwardly from said rear-flange and then forwardly and upwardly aroundthe said pintle, the said sideflanges being provided with cut-awayportions, and retaining lugs extending inwardly from the side-Hanger; ofsaid body-member, said retaining lugs extending into the cutawayportions of the side-flanges of said plate, and being in holdingengagement with 'the said side-flanges of said plate, thus providing aninclosed compartment at one end of said body-member.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 23rd day of February, 1917.

BENNO VOM EIGEN.

'Witnesses FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, FREDK. H. W. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

